Costa Mesa economic and development services director retires
Costa Mesa’s economic and development services director and deputy chief executive has left City Hall after a little more than three years.
Gary Armstrong said he has decided to retire from the city. His last day on the job was Friday.
“I have enjoyed my time at the city, and there is a great group of people that work here,” he wrote in an email. “I wish everyone here the best.”
City spokesman Tony Dodero declined to comment about Armstrong’s departure.
Armstrong came to Costa Mesa in 2013 from San Benito County, where he had been planning and building director. He also previously worked at RBF Consulting, a planning and engineering firm.
Replacing him in Costa Mesa on an interim basis is Jay Trevino, who previously was executive director of Santa Ana’s Planning and Building Agency.
“He has a good staff that he’s working with and we’re in good hands,” city Chief Executive Tom Hatch said of Trevino at last week’s City Council meeting.
At Monday’s Planning Commission meeting, Trevino said his career in planning spans more than three decades, largely in Orange County. He told commissioners that his role is “to help you and the department to keep things moving forward as the city recruits for permanent people.”
The city also recently tapped Peggy Schneble as interim assistant director of development services. She replaces Claire Flynn, who left earlier this year.
Schneble previously was development services manager for the city of Irvine and owns a consulting firm that works with real estate companies and public agencies, according to Dodero.
“We’re very fortunate to have a team with your experience to help us through this transition period,” Planning Commission Chairman Rob Dickson told Trevino and Schneble at Monday’s meeting. “We really appreciate both of your contributions and we look forward to working with you.”
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